These cookies have many names. Besides Melting Moments, they’re also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies or Lime Coolers. Add walnuts to the mix, and you’ve got Snowballs.
Whatever you call them, I love them–their sweet-tart, melt-in-your-mouth texture; the powdered sugar residue you get to lick from your lips after the cookie’s gone; that they’re small so you don’t have to justify eating more than one.
I also love that these cookies are simple to make. Just look at the ingredient list. Is there a from-scratch cookie simpler than this one? Is there anything stopping you from making these cookies right now? (And remember lemon or orange zest can stand in for the lime!)
Melting Moments with Lime
by: Three Many Cooks
Serves: Makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients
- 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, softened enough to be pliable
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix flour, ¼ cup sugar, and lime zest in a medium bowl. Add butter; beat (or simple mix with hands) to form smooth dough.
- Drop dough by generous teaspoons onto a parchment (or silpat-lined) cookie sheet; roll into balls. Bake until cookie bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place remaining sugar in a quart-size zipper-lock bag. Working a dozen at a time, drop cookies into sugar; shake to coat. Serve. (Can be stored in an airtight tin up to 1 week.)
I just made these and they are awesome! Thanks for such a quick, easy, yummy treat!
Oven Temp?
You had me worried there for a second, Kristen. It’s in the recipe–350 degrees. Enjoy!
Ah, I know them as Lime or Lemon Coolers– such a wonderful recipe to share. We used to buy these by the box and bring them to the beach – of all places!
I remember them from the box as a kid too, Lori. (I mostly remember not being able to stop eating them!)
Ah, yes please! Maybe I’ll make a batch of these to give to my MIL on Mother’s Day – or maybe I’ll just enjoy them myself. 😉
Yes, we called them Lime Coolers too – love this cookie and it is absolutely perfect for spring. Now I want a cookie! 🙂
I love Mexican wedding cakes – one of my favorites. Would love to make these tomorrow morning, but I’ve only got unsalted butter. Please help me with the salt amount. Thank you, again.
P.S. My dad loves your “Perfect One Dish Dinners…” You’ve got another fan.
laura
Hey Laura,
I think just a pinch of table salt is all you’d need for these cookies. Good luck and thanks for letting me know about your dad!
The Melting Moments cookies I make are an old recipe that used to be on the back of the cornstarch box and are frosted with buttercream frosting. We always called these type of cookies Russian Tea Cakes (made w/ground walnuts or pecans and no citrus zest). Amazing how many different names there are for basically the same cookie! 😉
I have to make these right away! Serve these with some tequila, and you’re good to go!
I need to try these with lime; for us they are simply called Pecan Butter Balls and ALWAYS only for Christmas. Yes, very similar to the others but with a Swedish origin; I use my grandmother’s recipe that has been in our family for…well, if she were alive she would be 125 so a VERY long time! I love lime though and admit have had these from the grocery…so thinking it’s about time to ‘summerize’ a favorite treat.